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    OutlawPlanet: MobiFab

    Power supplies for Mobile Fabbers

    Started by: Freelance Generalist Raves:4

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    just started helping a mate out with his new business. He has a contract with the local council to provide 24hrs fabbing to poor areas of the city. He has a fabber and a military-surplus generator (runs on nanosolar panels and biofuels) slung on the back of a tatty, old Landrover (also has nanopanels and biofuel) problem is the power supply and the tanks (fabber feedstocks) are not enought and the performance varies HELP !

    Me again, just found out that the feedstocks for the fabs have been deliberately contaminated. This will all end in tears, just not mine !

    Was looking at the associated superstruct and surprised you didn't put out the call for 3D files; modeled or scanned. wrt feedstock, you using machine custom materials or can you use generics?

    The idea was maximum effort at minimum expense. The fabs we have are only 2nd gen and use generic materials. Have recently found out that someone in the council wanted a rival bid by a large corporation to succeed, don't know if he has had any part in 'buggering' up the feedstock for the fabs. Any and all ideas and assistance welcome at this point. P.S. message for csven glad to see you back in the world after your nautical 'fun'

    we do a lot of fabbing for local people. there are lots of online sources for free 3D files if you know how to do the proper file conversions. Essentially meshes are not copywriteable so if you know how to transpose a mesh you are home free. I will look around and see if i have any files that might be specifically useful to your purpose, especially some simpletoys etc. sometimes the feedstock is temperature sensitive. We use a biodegradable polymer as well as the usual nice hard plastic and metal polymer feedstocks. We also are able to produce some of our own feedstock on site using bio tech and cyanobacteria. If you have some roofspace this might work out for you. The big investment is the spinner.

    "have are only 2nd gen and use generic materials" If you have an "only 2nd gen" using generics, you've got a highend piece of gear. Most machine manufacturers were still playing the razorblade business game. So it's great you have generic materials instead of limited & expensive custom. Question is, what kind of fabbing units you running? I could probably point you to plenty of generic powder people, especially metals, but competitively priced liquid polymer suppliers are tough to find. Or are you running ceramics?

    >"Essentially meshes are not copywriteable so if you know how to transpose a mesh you are home free." I remember when that court case came down (U.S. or Canada? I forget where.), and while meshes themselves aren't copyrightable because, like phone books, they're *just* data, the overall designs themselves are protected. So unless you "significantly" modify the mesh data, you run into IP problems (assuming you care). However, I don't think you need to worry about meshes. The Screaming 3D Bootstrapping people will include people modeling designs in CAD capable of use in production which are then decimated and used for distance learning. One originating 3D file, multiple uses. >"metal polymer feedstocks" Unfamiliar with this? You mean metal powder in a binder; same as metal injection molding? If so, why? The extra process step of burning out the binder and fusing the metal particles eats energy. I'd go with one of the direct melting processes myself.

    Still trying to track down those responsible for the "mischief" with the feedstock, I know this is taking my eye of the ball, but, I get the feeling if I don't do this, well, next time it could something more dangerous. Keep you posted.




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